In an era of decentralisation and digitalisation, how can city regions respond to make the most of these opportunities to create age-friendly environments as places which promote active inclusion and opportunity for all?

As the advanced aged society in the world’s most rapidly ageing region, how Japan’s cities develop and cooperate to produce people-centred visions for quality of life, which address varied challenges such as the need for more urban green space for active lifestyles and combating organised fraud, through to inter-generational housing solutions, will be the subject of international attention.

How we look at the future of ageing and aim to provide better solutions for all citizens in Europe and Japan will require new thinking on the roles of government, business and research, particularly around the rising urban challenges of coping with conditions such as dementia and diabetes among growing elderly populations.

But rather than seeing problems by focusing on welfare costs and the care burdens of an ageing society, is there a way to secure economic growth through these challenges, not least as new technologies and increasing longevity forces us to rethink of the world of work for all ages?

And how can those local authorities in shrinking regions away from urban centres do more to promote better access to transport to enable their ageing populations to continue to lead fulfilling lives?

This year’s JLGC Seminar will look not only at what cities in Japan are doing to promote age-friendly environments and harness the economic growth potential of the ‘silver economy’, but also how Japanese businesses are partnering with UK local authorities in developing data-driven optimal solutions which can enable older citizens to lead better lives.

Event partners from government, business and academia will ensure that the event develops innovative inter-disciplinary thinking for the policy landscape around the challenges and opportunities of changing demography.

Chaired by Jessica Studdert, Deputy Director at the New Local Government Network, we will hear from:

Setsuko Saya, Head of Regional Policies for Sustainable Development Division, OECD

Dr Mayumi Hayashi, Research Fellow at Institute of Gerontology, King’s College London

Dr Anna Dixon, Chief Executive, Centre for Ageing Better

Reiko Shimoda, Innovation & New Business Development Manager, NEC Europe

Richard Elphick, Strategic Commissioner, London Borough of Camden

This will include a presentation from our 2015 Japan Study Tour to Yamanashi Prefecture (‘Challenges in Demography: Tackling Ageing Society and Shrinking Populations’), concluding with a panel discussion/Q&A among all speakers.